Unfair Advantage ) Adam Banks

ch 12, she knows

Ripley raised her head, perplexed at the girls motion, "Saying what?"

"It was a girl, a cheerleader...the brown haired one... awe shit.." Julie sputtered, trying to remember her name.

"Cindy?" Both Connie and Ripley answered now, eagerness lacing their voices.

"Yes! Thats her!" Julie said, placing her hands on the table, "She was saying some, uh... not nice things."

Ripley raised her eyebrows, amusement on her face as Connie turned her body to look at Ripley.

"What'd she say, Julie?"

"Well, I was pissing when I heard a bunch of girl's coming in, laughing and stuff. I stayed quiet and was about to hurry up because they were being super obnoxious, until I heard your name." Julie started. "I got intrigued because they sounded, well... not very happy to be talking about you."

"Okay, Julie, great." Ripley smashed, "But what did she say?"

"Hold on turd burglar, I'm trying to catch my breath." Julie stroke back. "Well she said a lot of things but she started off by complaining about how much time you spend with the upperclassman boys."

Ripley pushed her eyebrows together, "What the hell does she expect? I play hockey with them."

"That's what I was thinking in the moment," Julie said, taking a seat, continuing. "But she kept saying how she didn't understand why the guys were always inviting you to stuff like parties and dinners, or whatever? She supposed the only reason you were on varsity is so the boys had a pretty face to look at, but then switched it up saying if they needed a pretty face she didn't understand why the picked you."

"Wow." Ripley teased, "Low blow."

"I know, right. Anyways, she then said that must be the reason because you are trash at hockey and that you were nothing but a, what'd she say exactly, I believe it was 'Nothing but a sophomore whore on a full ride trying to sleep her way into playing at state because she lacks real talent.'"

Ripley's face dropped at the comment. An oh so familiar anger swelling up in her chest.

Ripley could take being called ugly, I mean anyone that saw the girl knew she was far from it, but hearing some girl berate her for her hockey skills really struck a nerve.

She knew she could play hockey, exceptionally well at that. But to spend years of her life working to be the best she could at the sport, and have someone who didn't know shit insult her and say she was sleeping around to get her spot, really, really pissed Ripley off.

"Are you okay, Ripley?" Julie remarked, slightly scared by the girls sudden change in deposition.

"Never better." She muttered in return, quickly standing up as the bell rang.

Her friends looked at each other confused, wondering what the girl was going to do, as they had never seen her angry like this before.

Ripley furiously clambered to her locker, unlocking it and digging though it to find what she was looking for.

She found a small pile of rings she had taken off earlier in the week, due to them messing with her fingers while she wrote, and smiled. Ripley picked up her jewelry, sliding them onto her fingers, ready for the worst.

She slammed her locker shut, and began stomping her way towards the cafeteria.

She felt relieved that lunch was right after fifth period, as she felt she wouldn't have been able to suppress her rage throughout they day if Julie had told her what she heard earlier on.